Cake-smearing dispute during birthday celebration leaves man dead in Jammu, accused arrested

A celebration on a roadside turned fatal when the birthday boy allegedly attacked and killed his friend with a sharp-edged weapon here after a dispute over cake being smeared on his face, police said on Friday. 

Police arrested the accused and his brother.

At about 9 pm on Thursday, Police Post Government Medical College Jammu informed Police Station Janipur that one injured person, Pawan Nair alias "Sameer", was brought to the hospital by his friends -- John Sotra, Gaurav Singh and Sugandh Bhatti -- and doctors declared him brought dead, a police spokesperson said.

He said a police team from Police Station Janipur rushed to GMC Jammu. 

Preliminary enquiry revealed that Neeraj alias "Anshu" was celebrating his birthday on a roadside near Lower Roop Nagar where his friends Sotra, Singh, Bhatti and the deceased were present.

"Neeraj was accompanied by his brother Rishu. During the cutting of the cake, the deceased Nair smeared cake on the face of Neeraj, triggering a verbal duel. When Sotra, Singh and Bhatti pacified them, Neeraj got enraged, took out a 'khokhri' which he was carrying and attacked Nair on his neck, causing grievous injury. The injured was immediately shifted to GMC Jammu, where he was declared brought dead," the spokesperson said.

Taking cognisance of the incident, Police Station Janipur registered a murder case and arrested Neeraj and his brother Rishu. 

The spokesperson said police are recovering the weapon used in the offence and that further investigation is underway. Police said the deceased's body has been shifted to the GMC mortuary for a post-mortem examination.